1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a caller identification (ID) function in a cross switch, and more particularly to a switching apparatus having a function for processing a malicious call.
2. Description of the Related Art
In accordance with developments of communication techniques and manufacturing techniques for associated equipment, communication means have been made inexpensively available to many people. Currently, at least one communication means is available for each individual.
Recently, prank or malicious calls have been frequently made using the above mentioned communication means. In order to prevent such prank or malicious calls, various prank call discouraging devices have been proposed.
However, the proposed prank call discouraging devices only have an effect of temporarily preventing attempts to make a prank call because they are configured to simply generate a deafening sound or a strange sound offensive to the ear.
For this reason, the demand for techniques capable of permanently preventing prank calls has been greatly increased. To meet this demand, a CID technique has been proposed. Also, prank call interception techniques using the CID technique have been proposed.
Now, a procedure for processing a malicious call in a conventional cross switch will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a connection configuration of a conventional cross switch. FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a procedure for processing a malicious call in the conventional cross switch.
Referring to FIG. 1, a cross switch 10 is illustrated which has a CID function, receives a plurality of subscribers, and establishes a communication path for each subscriber. A plurality of subscriber terminals are connected to the cross switch 10. Each of the subscriber terminals can communicate with a desired one of other subscriber terminals by calling the counterpart subscriber terminal. In FIG. 1, only two subscriber terminals 20 and 25 are shown. For the convenience and simplicity of description, the subscriber terminal 25 is referred to as a xe2x80x9ccalling subscriber terminalxe2x80x9d, whereas the subscriber terminal 20 is referred to as a xe2x80x9ctarget or called subscriber terminalxe2x80x9d. To the cross switch 10, an operating terminal unit 30 is connected which monitors and controls the establishment of communication paths and the condition of communications through the established communication paths.
The procedure of processing a malicious call in the above mentioned connection configuration of the conventional cross switch will be described with reference to FIG. 2.
As mentioned above, a plurality of terminals are subscribed to the cross switch 10, which can trace or identify the CID of a caller in accordance with its CID function. When one subscriber terminal, that is, the calling subscriber terminal 25 calls a desired one of other subscriber terminals, that is, the target subscriber terminal 20, by dialing the telephone number of the target subscriber terminal 20, a dial signal from the calling subscriber terminal 25 is inputted to the cross switch 10 in accordance with the dialing operation.
In response to the dial signal, the cross switch 10 performs a switching operation to establish a communication path for connecting the calling subscriber terminal 25 and the target subscriber terminal 20. When the target subscriber terminal 20 receives an incoming call from the cross switch 10 via the established communication path, it generates a ring signal. In response to the ring signal, the user of the called subscriber terminal 20 hooks off the called subscriber terminal 20. Thus, the called subscriber terminal 20 can communicate with the calling subscriber terminal 25 via the established communication path. At this time, the malicious call processing procedure is begun, as shown in FIG. 2.
Referring to FIG. 2, the malicious call processing procedure involves:
a first step S10 of performing, by the called subscriber terminal 20, a communication with the calling subscriber terminal 25 in accordance with an off-hook of the called subscriber terminal 20 made in response to an incoming call received via an established communication path;
a second step S20 of, while in the process of communication, determining by the user of the called subscriber terminal 20 whether or not the call from the calling subscriber terminal 25 is a prank or malicious call;
a third step S30 of if it is determined at second step S20 that the call from the calling subscriber terminal 25 is a prank or malicious call, then generating a hook flash input in accordance with a manipulation of a hook flash button provided at the called subscriber terminal 20;
a fourth step S40 of identifying or tracing the CID of the calling subscriber terminal 25 by the cross switch 10, based on the hook flash input applied from the called subscriber terminal 20 to the cross switch 10; and
a fifth step S50 of determining whether or not the communication has been completed, and returning to first step S10 when the communication is continued, while proceeding to an end step when the communication has been completed.
The above mentioned malicious call processing method will be described in more detail, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
When the target subscriber terminal 20 subscribed to the cross switch 10 having a function for tracing the CID of a caller is called, and then communicated with the calling subscriber terminal 25 in accordance with an off-hook of its handset (Step S10), the user of the called subscriber terminal 20 determines whether or not the call from the calling subscriber terminal 25 is a prank or malicious call (Step S20).
When it is determined at second step S20 that the call from the calling subscriber terminal 25 is a prank or malicious call, the user manipulates the hook flash button provided at the called subscriber terminal 20, so as to generate a hook flash input (Step S30). The hook flash input from the called subscriber terminal 20 is sent to the cross switch 10 which, in turn, recognizes the hook flash input.
The cross switch 10 recognizes the hook flash input as a command for tracing the CID of the caller. In response to the hook flash input, the cross switch 10 collects the intrinsic number of the calling subscriber terminal 25 and information about the established communication path in association with the malicious call, and outputs the collected information, as malicious call information, to the operating terminal unit 30.
The operating terminal unit 30 stores the malicious call information, and identifies the stored CID of the caller or performs a desired process at the request of the user of the called subscriber terminal 20.
However, the above mentioned conventional technique has a problem in that it is impossible to trace and identify the CID of the malicious caller in a real time fashion.
Furthermore, there is a problem in that it is impossible to record or store the call speech of the malicious caller, or to allow a third party to directly hear the call speech of the malicious caller.
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a switching apparatus having a function for processing a malicious call, and an operating method of the switching apparatus, which are capable of outputting, via a designated path, the CID of a caller generating a malicious call, and allowing a third party to hear, record, or store the call speech of the malicious caller.
In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a switching apparatus for receiving a plurality of subscribers, and establishing a communication path between calling and called ones of the subscribers in accordance with a switching operation thereof, the switching apparatus having a function for processing a malicious call, comprising: a cross switch internally provided with a caller identification (CID) processor adapted to identify a CID, the cross switch being connected with a plurality of subscriber terminals respectively associated with the subscribers while serving to establish a communication path between calling and called ones of the subscriber terminals in accordance with a switching operation thereof; a wiretap resource unit for establishing a communication path enabling a plurality of designated subscribers to communicate simultaneously, in response to a conference call; the subscriber terminals each connected to the cross switch while having a function to call a desired one of the remaining subscriber terminals, thereby communicating with the called subscriber terminal; an operating terminal unit connected between the cross switch and the wiretap resource unit, the operating terminal unit serving to set the communication path between the calling subscriber terminal and the called subscriber terminal to pass through a selected one of the cross switch and the wiretap resource unit, while serving to monitor and control the entire part of the switching apparatus; a database for storing data on a third communication path allocated and designated for wiretapping of a content of conversation by telephone made in association with a malicious call; and a wiretap terminal connected to the wiretap resource unit and adapted to wiretap and record the content of conversation by telephone made in association with the malicious call.
In accordance with another aspect, the present invention provides a method for processing a malicious call in a switching apparatus having caller identification (CID) and conference call functions, comprising: a communicating step of establishing, in response to a call from a calling subscriber terminal, a communication path between the calling subscriber terminal and a called subscriber terminal, and enabling a communication between the calling and called subscriber terminals via the established communication path; a call processing mode determining step of determining whether a call processing mode set by the called subscriber terminal corresponds to a mode for tracing only a CID of the calling subscriber terminal, or a mode for tracing a CID of a particularly designated caller or CIDs of all callers while wiretapping a content of conversation by telephone made by the particularly designated caller or each of the callers; a resource allocating step of if it is determined that the set call processing mode corresponds to the mode for tracing the CID or CIDs while wiretapping the content of conversation by telephone, then determining whether or not at least one third communication path for wiretap services is established, and allocating a wiretap resource when it is determined that the third communication path is established; a wiretapping step of outputting the CID of the calling subscriber terminal, information about the call generated by the calling subscriber terminal, and a communication signal for wiretap on the third communication path; and communication completion determining and resource releasing steps of determining whether or not communications between the calling and called subscriber terminals have been completed, and returning to the call processing mode determining step when the communications are continued, while releasing the allocated wiretap resource when the communications have been completed, and returning to a process completing step.